covid-19 vaccine challenge. it's what's top of mind to try and climb out of the country's crisis, even with promising news from pfizer overnight, plenty of questions remain. this morning local doctors are giving us hints about a first dose and why california has a long way to go. good morning. it's wednesday, december 2nd. before we get to those stories, let's check in with mike. >> all right. let's look at what's going on outside. i want to show you quite a bit of a difference from yesterday to today. you can see from the east bay h hills camera how clean that air is. let's look at the visibility. you can see it's about 6 in napa. that's as low as it gets. it's about as low as 1 in santa rosa. a bit of an ebb and flow to the fog there. there's tule fog out in the central valley. we'll see if that's drawn in late into the morning commute and into the east bay. right now it's not looking

promi promising, which is great. let's talk about our high temperatures. 58 to 65 from half moon bay to santa cruz. 61 in san francisco to 64 in oakland. that's your spread around the bay. 63 in antioch to 67 in santa rosa. a little bit warmer inland. let's get back to the news. here is kumasi. >> thank you. the big headline coming from overseas, the uk has become the first country to approve pfizer's covid-19 vaccine. a government spokesperson says a vaccine will be made available next week. seniors, health care workers, they will have priority. in a statement pfizer's ceo is calling the uk's move a historic moment in the fight against covid-19. the vaccine, which was developed with biogen tech is about 95% effective. the u.s. will likely approve pfizer's vaccine next thursday. moderna applied for emergency use authorization. the fda will review it on december 17th. a cdc committee released guidelines on who should get

vaccinated first. priority will be given to health care workers and people who live in nursing homes. then essential workers like police officers, firefighters and teachers. the third group consists of americans who are most vulnerable to covid-19. state officials ultimately decide on the vaccination order. this morning we're hearing from local doctors who are eager to get the vaccine themselves. julian glover is life to explain the distribution challenges facing california. >> good morning. as you mentioned, health care workers will be among to be vaccinated when the first doses of the pfizer vaccine get here in a matter of weeks. working with covid patients every day puts the er staff and other hospital employees at an increased risk. we spoke to dr. lily muldone who treats patients at sf general and is in a respiratory tent in

the bayview. she says she knows about 20 fellow health care workers who are infected with covid-19, she is surprised how many are skeptical about the vaccine. she's eager to get vaccinated to keep herself safe while caring for patients. >> it is unavoidable for me to be in close contact with people who have covid. the potential of a vaccine makes me at ease. >> it's an algorithm you need to develop based on somebody's risk of being infected in the community and somebody's risk of exposing individuals at the hospital. >> the algorithm you just heard dr. muldow, a stanford epidemiologist mention highlights the challenge of which health care workers and nursing home residents will be fax natured first. the 327,000 doses of the pfizer vaccine that california will receive in a matter of weeks, while significant in the fight to save lives here in the state, that's just a small portion of

the 2.4 million health care workers in the state of california alone who need to get vaccinated and listed as a priority. reporting live this morning, julian glover, abc7 news. san francisco officials want teachers toitized after health care workers to get the vaccine. the teachers union urged governor newsom for teachers to be in the first round of distribution. they say that will allow schools to reopen as soon as possible. the governor's office is finalizing its recommendations on who will get the vaccine first. a crucial part of the vaccine rollout plan is getting enough people to get vaccinated to end this pandemic. the chief scientific adviser for warp speed spoke on "gma" this morning. >> i'd like to retell the american people that no corners

have been cut. the development has been done very quickly because we had great science to allow us to do all the discovery work in weeks rather than in years and then the clinical work, the most important part that must demonstrate the effectiveness of the vaccine and its safety has been done to a higher standard than what's done in a larger number of people. >> the doctor said if people listen to health officials and medical experts they trust many of them will choose to get the vaccine. you can watch that full interview on "gma" at 7:00 after mo abc7 mornings. as soon as today san francisco city leaders could reveal tighter safety restrictions. that could include new limits on retail capacity, new limbs on gatherings, and a more stringent travel quarantine. mayor london breed said more restrictive action is necessary. >> this is about saving lives. everything we are asking you to do over the coming weeks and months is about that, saving lives. >> the city says the san francisco covid-19 cases tripled

over the past three weeks. many people are wondering what a new lockdown would look like if the governor does issue a new stay-at-home order for counties in the purple tier. abc7 news spoke with a ucf epidemiologist, dr. george rutherford. >> you can probably keep some retail shopping open that would help out a lot of small businesses. after dining with low density and everybody wearing masks, you know, maybe. >> he says counties may have to reduce the allowed capacity for restaurants. as for schools -- >> you could conceive of keeping preschools open and continue to open elementary schools. >> earlier this week governor newsom specifically mentioned restrictions for deep purple tier counties, this suggests not all purple counties would be subject to tighter rules. and endless fight to rebuild and find a home. after losing everything in the recent wildfires, the shocking story showing why our neighbors are still stuck in the ashes.

and the white house bribery bombshell. what we're learning about the push to pardon president trump's family members and who might be behind it. and we've talked about how slow this rain season has started since october 1st. let's talk about the entire year from january 1st. we're 25 to 36% of average. we're down nearly 20 inches of rain in places like santa rosa. this could lead to a heightened fire danger coming up this weekend. your shoulder seems to be healing nicely. i'm sorry baby... i don't want you to play with that... (singing) twinkle, twinkle little star. how i wonder what you are... how are you doing? schedule a video visit with your doctor. kaiser permanente. thrive.

on the most reliable network with xfinity mobile. in a land not so far away. people are saving hundreds they can choose from the latest phones or bring their own. and choose the data option that's right for them. they even get nationwide 5g at no extra cost. and since they are on the carrier rated #1 in customer satisfation, they live happily ever after. again, again! xfinity mobile. your wireless. your rules. your way to stay closer together. click, call, or visit an xfinity store today. and comfortably shop over a million square feet of in- stock flooring!

our expansive store is fully equipped with safe distancing guides, so you can browse our wide aisles and be amazed with our even wider selection. or easily order online, and pick up all the products you need for your flooring project curbside! so come discover the perfect floor at the perfect price in whatever way is perfect for you. all in one stop! visit floor and decor in person or online. california's issued health guidelines for ski resorts during this pandemic to prevent crowding day-of ski tickets will not be sold. you have to make a reservation in advance or have a season pass. many ski resorts opened last

month already have the rules in place. they just need snow, mike. >> they do. they're making it at night, but that's not the same as real powder that blankets all of the slopes. let's talk about how cold it is in the peninsula. the usual spots, menlo park and redwood city, 36 and 34. foster city and san mateo, 39 there, 52 in pacifica. the 33 in san ramon and santa rosa. novato has the thickest fog, visibility down to a quarter mile right now. here's sutro tower, it's 47. be careful if you're out in ar levels for the dryness of the vegetation out there. that's what's going to be bringing us the heightened fire danger this weekend. earlier sunshine on the bay and dangerous waves at the beaches. all these storms passing us to the west, whether kicking up a few high clouds and dangerous

surf. that will be a 30-hour period from 10:00 this morning to 4:00 tomorrow afternoon with high to extreme risk of sneaker waves and also a risk of rip currents. more on that fire threat coming up. here's sue with a look at the traffic. hi, sue. >> good morning. we have a solid stream of headlights on the east shore freeway coming down from richmond through albany and berkeley and on into the macarthur maze. it's moving a little bit slower than the limit. it's pretty bunched up there. as you approach the bay bridge toll plaza, all packed. the metering lights were turned on at 5:51 this morning. you're backing towards the macarthur maze, if you can commute, those commute lanes are looking good at this time. here's some of your drive times from highway 4, the upper corridor of 80 into the maze, you're looking at about 18 minutes. behind the toll plaza, another 11. so let's make that 29 to 30 minutes to get all the way into san francisco from hercules, not too bad. once you're in the city, if your

travels take you to sfo, just about 9 to 10-minute drive. happening today, the mcrib is back at mcdonald's, apparently people cannot get enough of this. this morning the barbecue sandwich is a top google search. this is the first time since 2012 that the mcrib has been available nationwide. mcdonald's says mcrib purchases today will support mcdonald's charities cancer initiatives. >> i need to know how you feel about this. >> friend, you know. >> i won't be in the line. >> back in the day, i could get down with a mcrib. >> really? i never had one. what does it even taste like? >> like the cafeteria food. >> oh. >> i'm nostalgic for that. it has like fake rib marks in it. it's a whole mood. >> so you might be in the line? >> i mean, i would have to give

up the vegetarian life, so -- >> is it worth it. >> we're weighing that right now. >> un-huh. >> when i say we, the voices. >> you're not alone. president obama admitting that he made a mistake. the one thing he says he wishes he would have done while in

welcome to 15 days of saving up to $500 on fast, in reliable internet and... mobile with nationwide 5g on the most reliable network. welcome to family-connecting, holiday-shopping,

black friday awesome. because, for a limited time, when you get xfinity internet and mobile together... ...you can get a $200 prepaid card... ...and up to $300 off select mobile phones... ...for up to $500 in savings. this sale won't last, so click, call, or visit a store today! today marks the fourth anniversary of the ghost ship fire in oakland. 36 people died when the warehouse went up in flames. voices of silicon valley will hold a virtual memorial concert at 6:00 tonight. bay area musicians will celebrate the lives and artistic accomplishments of the victims of the ghost ship fire. it will be streamed on the voices of silicon valley's youtube channel. two bay area cities approved natural gas bans. san jose and oakland city councils voted in favor of using natural gas in newly constructed

apartment and retail buildings with some exemptions. it's to reduce emissions and meet climate goals. california has gotten 1$1.3 billion in federal aid for wildlife relief, but according to the "l.a. times," not a penny has reached those who have lost their homes. this also includes people who survived the 2017 wildfires in wine county. abc7 news went back to journey's inn in santa rosa yesterday. the mobile home park was destroyed in the tubbs fire. affordable housing will be built on the site. it's still an empty lot due to bureaucratic hold-ups. linda adrian is on the list for that housing, she's 80 years old and is afraid she may never see it. >> the federal government keeps showing how ineffective they are and how unorganized they are, and how they don't know what they're doing. i sometimes wonder if the federal government actually talks to the state government >> santa rosa will likely

approve the journey's inn housing project by next week, however the issue of funding remains. a bombshell investigation into a possible scheme to illegally obtain a presidential pardon. newly unsealed court documents show the justice department is looking into allegations that lobbyists may have tried to bribe white house officials. according to the documents the unidentified suspects offered a substantial political contribution for a pardon or a reprieve of sentence. the white house is declining comment. it comes as sources tell abc news that rudy and the president discussed the possibility of a preemptive self-pardon and there's a report that the president is considering preemptive pardons for his family members. former president barack obama admits to making a major mistake while in office. he said he wishes he had awarded dolly parton the presidential medal of freedom. obama made the comments in an interview with stephen colbert. the singer is one of the most

beloved icons in music. colbert wants to know how does she not have a presidential medal of freedom. mr. obama said that was a screw up. he then offered to try to fix the mistake and would call president-elect joe biden. >> i think this will happen. >> i feel like it will. >> right? >> 1 100% behind it. >> she deserves it. >> mm-hmm. it's interesting that the vaccine donation, which was $1 million to vanderbilt is the one that brought it to light. she has given vanderbilt millions of dollars before and worldwide organizations millions of dollars along with her own community around dollywood. i think she gave some fire vm victims $100,000. she knows how to take care of people. mild afternoon, extended period without rain continues. that will heighten the fire danger for sunday and monday. looking at the cloud cover, tule

fog in the central valley. with the northeast wind, some of that could slip into the east bay. the usual spots have fog this morning. that is it. places like novato, san rafael and up towards santa rosa. high clouds increasing as you can see here as the fog remains near the north bay coast into the afternoon and evening hours. the usual spots will get a bit of fog tonight. notice the high clouds will hang around. that means temperatures a degree or two milder than this morning. that's it ffas far as sensible weather out there. inland, 63 to 67 in our spread, around the bay, 61 to 64. tonight, you can see mid to upper 30s inland. around the bay, low to mid 40s until you get to san francisco at 47 degrees. let's look at that accuweather 7-day forecast. with thicker cloud cover and the slight onshore breeze, we could be a degree or two cooler tomorrow. we return those temperatures on friday. we hang above average all seven days with the greatest fire danger sunday and monday.

no watches or warnings yet, but it is possible as we get closer. have a good day. >> thank you. now we're checking in with ginger, she's live with what's coming up on "gma" at 7:00. good morning. >> good to hear your voice. hi, reggie. great to be with everybody. it's a wednesday here on "gma," we have to get to that race for the vaccine. overnight i know you've been reporting on it, the uk granted pfizer and biogen tech emergency use authorization for their vaccines. this happens as our cases in the u.s. continues to explode. the cdc recommended who should get the life saving shots first and thousands of test sites are bracing for a post-thanksgiving rush. also this morning, the star of "june o" and "umbrella acade" revealing he's transgender. elliott page saying he's profoundly happy but also is

revealing some of the fears he had about coming out and how he plans to fight to change this world for the better. from titanic to the holiday, kate winslet will be with us. she's such a gem. she's who i want to be when i grow up. i just decided. >> she's probably saying the same thing. who doesn't want to be like ginger zee. >> i don't know. >> probably kate winslet. >> we'll see about that. we'll see you at 7:00. thank you very much. the oscars announcing a major reveal about the upcoming awards in 2021. the new change that you'll see right here on abc7. and covid-19 catches the

we've been suffering with the dry weather longer than most of the country. look at this as you head into the 7th through 11th. most of the country will be dry.

we have a 40% chance of below precipitation. then we extend it out to the 15th. we're going into the middle parts of the month. a little bit of rain and snow is possible in the upper plains and into the upper rockies. for us, again, another 40% chance of below average precipitation. that's about as far out as i like to go this time of the year because the weather patterns do tend to change more abruptly as we head through the winter season. unfortunately, still looking dry. the warriors will begin individual workouts today. they were supposed to do this yesterday but the team had to delay that because two players ended up testing positive for covid-19. >> i don't think this is unexpected with all the guys coming back in. it proves that the protocols and testing is working. that was the point to catch these things before we begin. >> bob myers couldn't release the names of the players that test the positive due to federal privacy rules and the league's collective bargaining agreement.

training camp begins next week. the regular season begins in 2 1/2 weeks, december 22nd. new at 6:00, no zoom for the oscars in 2021. the academy is getting ready for an in-person show. variety magazine says it got exclusive details about the oscars after speaking with abc and the academy. it's unclear how many people will be allowed inside the doll by theater in l.a. it can seat more than 3,000 people. the oscars have been pushed back to april because of covid-19, so we'll wait and see what this looks like. you probably have seen this all over social media already. spotify users sharing their top played songs in 2020. spotify wrapped is back. so you can find an overview of your top played songs and your favorite artists on the app. bad bunny is the most listened to worldwide. juice world is the most listened to in the u.s. billie eilish was the most streamed woman. and the weekend's blinding

lights was the most streamed song. new at 6:00, it turns out that jason derulo is not just known for his music. ♪ the singer has been named tiktok's top celebrity. derulo has more than 40 million fol loeflowers on the app and thousands of people posted tiktok dancing to his songs. this morning derulo is live on "gma" to reveal some others on the top 100 list. "gma" starts at 7:00 after abc7 mornings. next at 6:30, major holiday spirit in an east bay neighborhood and it's all for a good cause. and two more local politics facing criticism for gathering with people not in our households. more restrictions could be headed to san francisco's way. will outdoor dining be banned? an update coming up. and san francisco also

taking a step forward in reparations. the new decision bringing the city closer to making it happen. plus oscar nominated star elliott page announcing he is transgender. you will hear his powerful message and the support pouring in this morning. a live look outside. love to see (har(betsy) twelquarter mile of tinsel. lights. (harold) and real snow all the way from switzerland. (betsy) hmmhm... gonna be tough to top. ♪ (betsy) well played. (vo) add some thrill to your wish list. at the season of audi sales event. get exceptional offers now.

for members like martin.

an air force veteran made of doing what's right, not what's easy. so when a hailstorm hit, usaa reached out before he could even inspect the damage. that's how you do it right. usaa insurance is made just the way martin's family needs it with hassle-free claims, he got paid before his neighbor even got started. because doing right by our members, that's what's right. usaa. what you're made of, we're made for. ♪ usaa we have more virus circulating than ever before. our dangerous winter has arrived. now at 6:30, san francisco's step back for safety. mayor london breed threatening new health rules as soon as today, but she herself in covid controversy dining against her own orders. we have the very latest.

pfizer's vaccine promise. the first rollouts are here for the uk. we have new details on what it means for getting it here and brand-new cdc guidelines changing its quarantine rules. it's hard not being able to see my friends. >> the schooling struggle. one of the bay area's biggest districts has a plan for kids to return to class, but one major thing stands in the way. the christmas countdown. a visit to santa looking different this year. we have tips and tricks you should know for navigating the season with your kids. good morning on this wednesday, december 2nd. all we want for christmas is that vaccine. as soon as you can get that down here, we're ready. he must have good storage up there. it needs to be kept cool. >> mm-hmm. >> mike, we got that going for us. >> good point. good point. it's more likely we'll get that vaccine than any rain any time soon, which is something else we need, but not quite as desperate. we definitely need it. let's look at some of the fog out there.

very localized around novato. san rafael, 101 and 37 where you will find visibility as low as a quarter mile throughout the morning commute. with a little bit of a light offshore breeze, the rest of us are quiet. there is some fog trying to pull through the delta there and move into napa thanks to an east-northeasterly wind. that's the way the fog will drift the next couple of hours, it will be gone by 10:00. we'll have increasing high clouds today, maybe a degree or two cooler than yesterday. still average to above with 61 in san francisco to about 67 in fairfield. the cool spot, of course, half moon bay at about 58 degrees. more on that weekend and the possibility of a high fire danger coming up. let's get over to kumasi for the latest news. >> thank you. this morning new coronavirus cases are overwhelming hospitals across the country. nearly 100,000 americans waking up in hospital beds battling covid-19. it is another new record amid nationwide surges in cases.

>> we at some point might get to a breaking point. >> it doesn't get easier. >> 43 states as well as washington, d.c. and puerto rico are all seeing their hospitalizations rise. in los angeles icus could reach 112% capacity by christmas eve. the same holds true for us in the bay area. san francisco mayor london breed providing another sobering warning. our area's explosion of cases could mean another round of even tighter restrictions. that could happen as soon as today. it's important to show you the numbers behind the decision. you can see very clearly the spike that we have experienced here in the bay area in recent days. this is from our abc7 data team. they are constantly updating this chart. it gives you that great visual perspective of how bad that surge is. this morning abc7 news reporter amy hollyfield is live with what could be changing in the city. >> the mayor says more restrictions are coming. she may announce them as soon as

today. when asked if outdoor dining would be banned, she said she does not have immediate plans to ban it but she can't take the option off the table. so she is looking at that option but mostly focused right now on what santa clara county has done. they have issued a mandatory quarantine for people who have traveled more than 150 miles away. forcing hotels to only allow in essential travelers. reduced capacity in businesses and limited gatherings. the mayor points out this is not a county issue. even though we keep hearing about different counties restrictions saying we are all in this together. >> this is not just about san francisco. it's about our region. even as our hospitalizations are spiking, we are taking in transfer patients from other counties.

while it's bad here, it's getting worse in other places. >> health officials say the number of positive covid cases has tripled in the last three weeks. if this continues they're worried we'll have a shortage of hospital beds by christmas. the mayor said new restrictions could be announced as early as today. test sites like this one here on the embarcadero are struggling to keep up with the demand. i went online to try to look at appointments at this site, they don't have anything available for the next two weeks. live in san francisco, amy hollyfield, abc7 news. you can follow the same data that we do to see how your county is handling the covid-19 crisis and where it stands with reopening. you can find that at abc7news.com. the cdc is changing its quarantine recommendations for people exposed to covid-19. two white house officials say the change was discussed during a coronavirus task force meeting yesterday. now, you would need to quarantine for 7 to 10 days after exposure under the new

rules. currently the rules are 14 days. people can end their quarantine after seven days if they receive a negative test. if you don't get tested, the cdc says you should wait out the entire ten days. building a better bay area includes focusing on education and how schools are trying to best serve their students during this pandemic. with the recent spike in cases, many people wonder if these schools should postpone their plans for in-person learning. the oakland unified school district set a target date of january 25th to resume that in-person learning. it would apply to younger kids up to the fifth grade. the head of the teachers union says he's not sure they're going to be ready to open. >> communities particularly in east oakland that serve our students black and brown students have, you know, high covid rates. >> it's hard not being able to see my friends because i really miss them and i can only see them virtually. >> fifth grader sophia says right now she can only play with

her younger brother and a select bubble of people. she's hoping to go back to school soon. starting tomorrow, the san francisco unifieied school district will offer free food to all children living in the city. anyone under the age of 18 can pick up two days worth of prepared meals, snacks, fresh fruit and vegetables and milk. 18 school sites have been designated by the district. families only need to provide their child's name and birth date to receive a grab and go card they can use to pick up their food. san francisco mayor london breed's office confirms she attended a dinner party at the french laundry restaurant. she is now the third california politician facing criticism. breed's office said she attended a family friend's birthday dinner with seven other people at an open air dinner. at the time of the dinner, both san francisco and napa counties allowed indoor and outdoor dining, but state guidelines imposed a three household limit on gatherings. her dinner happened a day after

the governor attended a birthday party at the same restaurant. a statement from the mayor's office says she has dined out to support local business and adds she has always been cautious when dining out. san jose's mayor admits he went against covid-19 recommendations for thanksgiving. sam liccardo wrote on twitter i apologize for gathering for thanksgiving with my family contrary to the rules. liccardo attended an outdoor thanksgiving dinner in saratoga with people from five different households. the state guidelines limited outdoor thanksgiving gatherings to three households. the fight for delivery dominance. big companies waging a shipping war. see what walmart is offering to earn your dollar. and a live look at the big board at the new york stock exchange. we're down about 160 points. another update on how the markets are doing and your full morning money report ahead. and prices for plane tickets could be going up far after the pandemic is over. the reason why you might be

paying more. we'll get to those stories. first we check in with meteorologist mike nicco. >> thank you. hi, everybody. thanks for joining us on this wednesday. we'll start with san francisco. mostly clear. 51 for bayview and crissy field. everyone else around 44 to 49 degrees. we have 45 over in richmond. we have 33 right now though in santa clara. some light frost is possible. the air is still very dry. same thing around pleasanton and you can see around petaluma and american canyon, a little bit of fog and 34. the fog is more around petaluma and novato. sutro tower looks clear out there. other than that patchy fog, good conditions for your commute. heavy jacket this morning, may not need a jacket later on. here's future radar, jumping ahead to friday. we know the next 48 hours, a storm front will pass us to the west and bring us increasing high clouds today. that's what happens as we head into saturday. look at that front getting so close. look at how close that green is.

it just evaporates. the area of low pressure that is creating that moves into the great basin by monday. that's going to give us an offshore breeze, a gusty one at that. that will heighten our fire danger. as you can see, the rain will continue up to the north even next wednesday, it stays well to the north with a possible chance of flurries in the tahoe area. other than that, it is looking dry outside of washington and oregon the next seven days. we'll look at the numbers then for our accuweather 7-day forecast coming up. first, hi, sue. how is the morning commute? >> it's light out there. we have a couple of trouble spots which we usually do. ace train, train number 3 is stuck in train traffic between stockton and manteca. so they're running about 30 minutes behind for train 3 headed towards san jose. highway 880 near the coliseum. that seems to be moving fine in d both directions. headlights headed in the

southbound direction. san jose, that's 280 in the northbound direction. headlights heading up towards cupertino. the about an 11-minute drive from downtown san jose up towards cupertino. overall green is good. still slowing out of the central valley, but not bad up and over the altamont pass. just a reminder, we still have skyline boulevard state route highway 35 shut down completely due to police activity. they're hoping to have it open by noon so they issued a sigalert and they'll let us know when that is

the team's been working around the clock.wire, we've had to rethink our whole approach. we're going to give togetherness. logistically, it's been a nightmare. i'm not sure it's going to work. it'll work. i didn't know you were listening.

some of those breezes we've been talking about, you can see them on the east bay hills camera. 20 to 33 miles per hour, that's why it's so dry and mainly fog-free compared to yesterday and cooler outside. we'll have increasing high clouds that will keep us around the 50s at the coast. low 60s for the rest of us. few mid 60s around 1:00.

it will keep us from being as cool during the evening hours. temperatures in the 50s. we have high to extreme risk of sneaker waves for a 30-hour period. 10:00 this morning to 4:00 tuesday. dealing with a red flag warning down in southern california starting today at 6:00 through saturday at 10:00. they actually have a red flag warning. this is a big headline this morning in the race for a covid-19 vaccine. it's coming from abroad. the united kingdom is the first country to officially approve pfizer's covid-19 vaccine. the government spokesperson says the vaccine, which is about 95% effective will be made available next week. the u.s. will likely follow suit to approve the pfizer vaccine next week. the fda will review moderna's vaccine on december 17th. all of this as the cdc is out with new guidelines on who gets vaccinated first. priority goes to health care workers and people who live in nursing homes. >>

then police officers, firefighters and teachers. the third group consists of americans who are most vulnerable to covid-19. state officials ultimately decide on the vaccination order. that's a key question that will affect your health, something we're committed to as we work to building a better bay area. julian glover is live with what local doctors are saying about being first in line and the challenges y s unique to califo. >> a mixed bag from what we're hearing so far from doctors. we know 327,000 doses of the pfizer vaccine that california will receive in a few weeks, while significant in the fight to save lives will only cover a small number of the 2.4 million health care workers in the state. coordinating who gets the vaccine first and coordinating

with living facilities is also being vaccinated. we spoke to dr. lily muldone who treats patients at sf general and is in a respiratory tent in the bayview. she says she knows about 20 fellow health care workers who are infected with covid-19, she says some of her colleagues remain cautious about the vaccine. >> i was surprised by the number of my colleagues who are skeptical of this and waiting to see if the vaccine is effective and there's not side effects before they're vaccinated. the potential of getting a vaccine makes me at ease. >> that one doctor there is obviously eager to get vaccinated. many of her colleagues appear to be skeptical. of course working with covid patients every day puts er staff and other hospital employees at increased risk. that's why doctors like her will be among the first to get vaccinated when that first shipment of pfizer's vaccine arrives here in california in just a few short weeks.

reporting live this morning, julian glover, abc7 news. >> thank you. developing news on president trump's claims of election fraud. a cabinet member is now contradicting the president. attorney general william barr told the associated press we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election. georgia certified its election results last week confirming a biden win. election officials say they're still getting threats from trump supporters and they fear for their lives. the state's voting system implementation manager is begging the president to do something. >> be the bigger man here, step in, tell your supporters don't be violent. don't intimidate. all that's wrong. it's un-american. stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence. someone will get hurt. someone will get shot. someone will get killed. >> the trump campaign has shared statements condemning violence, but it will not apologize for the false election fraud claims.

there is a big show of support this morning for the oscar nominated actor known for juno and umbrella akacadeacadem. elliot came out as transgender. formerly known as ellen page he wrote on social media i want to share with you i'm trans, my pronouns are he/they. i feel lucky to be writing this, to be here and arrive at this place in my life. his wife of two years commented love you so much, elliot. and miley cyrus wrote elliot rules. >> most people think they have not met somebody transgender yet in their daily life. they probably have and just don't know it. when elliot page tells them that he's a transgender person it helps them understand more about what it means to be trans. >> page is starring in "the umbrella academy" on netflix. the streaming service says he will continue playing his character and they're currently updating past acting credits. san francisco has taken a step forward in the push for rep

par r reparations for black americans. yesterday the board of supervisors passed an reparations subcommittee. the committee would make recommendations on how to develop, adopt and implement a city-wide reparations program. walton said the vote is one more step towards equity to improve outcomes for black people in san francisco and right the wrongs of history. smoking will be off limits inside most apartment and condo buildings in san francisco. cannabis is exempt. the anti-smoking policy applies to buildings with three or more units. violators could face fines up to a thousand dollars. happening today, you can apply for a job without leaving your house. the u.s. postal service is looking for help for the holidays. usps and alameda social services agency are holding a hiring fair over zoom at 10:00 this morning.

you have to register online, we have that link on our website, abc7news.com. the usps has two more virtual job fairs planned for this month and one is next wednesday. to your morning money report. the holiday shipping wars are heating up between two big brands. walmart is now waiving shipping fees for its plus members. up until now, wal-mart plus members needed a $35 minimum order to qualify for free shipping. but that requirement will end on friday. walmart is hoping to take a slice out of amazon's delivery empire by delivering faster shipping speeds and fresh groceries. taking a live look at the new york stock exchange. we're down about 115 points. new this morning, perhaps one long lasting side effect of the pandemic is hire airfares. the trend may be here long after the virus is gone. with more workers telecommuting and working remotely, experts

tell the "wall street journal" they think business travel could see a 36% dip. that means without the higher fares being paid by company customers, added fare prices may fall on every-day fliers. southwest airlines is once again booking middle seats on its flights. passengers are still required to wear masks. in october southwest said they would start selling every seat on december 1st and it's now fulfilling that promise. the decision comes after the carrier reported a record $1.2 billion third quarter loss because of the pandemic. southwest says it will notify you ahead of time if your flight has more than 65% of the seats sold. >> that happened for me, jett bl jetblue usually has the middle seats open, they sent an email saying not anymore. but they also said if you cancel and want your money back, you can have your money back, which i appreciated. >> okay. as far as i know, delta is the only airline that extended it past the new year.

>> that's nice. >> they'll also give you a refund, as far as i know, along with southwest -- they usually give you a credit. let's talk about what's going on. plus they bragged that every two to three seconds their air is filtered with outside air with a hepa filter. increasing clouds, mild afternoon today. extended period without rain continues at least through the middle part of the month. we'll have an increased fire danger sunday into monday. it's too far out for watches or warnings. as we get closer, don't be surprised if some of those are hoisted by the national weather service. here's the impressive plume of moisture, an atmospheric river that is moving north of us thanks to a dominant area of high pressure that will keep the storms away from us. the only thing we'll see out of that storm is the increasing high clouds today which will shave a degree or two off our highs. 67 in places like fairfield and

santa rosa to 63 in antioch. that's your spread inland. 64 in oakland to 61 in san francisco. so that's the bay. 58 at half moon bay to 65 at santa cruz for our coast. now, here's a look at the cloud cover. tule fog, but it's getting late in the morning to make that march to the east. winds are very light at the surface pulling to the east. so i think shows will stay out there. the fog is gone, notice the increase in high clouds. low cloudiness near the coast. heading into the overnight hours, high clouds will keep our temperatures up a degree or two tonight. still 30s and 40s out there. by tomorrow, we'll have a few passing high clouds once again. so there you go. mid 30s inland to mid 40s around the bay. 47 in san francisco is the warm spot tonight. my accuweather 7-day forecast, about a degree or two warmer for thursday. that will hold into friday. another storm passing to our west saturday cwill drop us a degree or two. sunday into monday, we'll keep an eye on that fire threat before temperatures get warmer next week. some 70s in the forecast.

not december-like at all. >> okay. thanks. now the countdown to christmas and how st. nick himself is adjusting in 2020. "good morning america" looking at safe ways to see santa. some malls including the mall of america are offering virtual experiences with santa from the candy cane institute in the north pole. >> we have to wear a >> experts recommend checking on santa's status at your mall or tree lot and make sure you get reservations whenever possible. "gma" will have a full report on how to safely visit santa coming up at 7:00 after abc7 mornings. in the east bay, an entire street is decked out in the holiday spirit. look at this. abc7 news was on la costa drive in brentwood where neighbors and surrounding streets created their own tunnels of joy.

as you can see, the annual light display raises money for the family of someone who is battling cancer. this year it's a 14-year-old boy in discovery bay. >> we feel blessed to gather all of the money up that is just flowing with generosity from the community and be able to hand it over to a family who's in need. it's a special thing. >> the tunnels of joy is named after a woman who died from cancer several years ago, joy burch. you can check out the light display from 5:00 to 9:00 every night and nearly 100 homes are taking part. if you are in the giving spirit, now is a great time. a lot of people need help this holiday season. some for the very first time. we were proud to make such a difference with your help on our day of giving yesterday. if you missed it, you can still help out. head to the front page at abc7news.com to give where you live. we have donation links for several vetted charity organizations that you can

choose from. i had such a good time on giving tuesday. >> it was nice, wasn't it? i'm glad we went full force on it this year. >> i know. the organization i was highlighting, they said they got volunteers and a lot of interest. i know probably all the organizations got similar feedback. so that's exciting. >> that was because you did such an excellent story, kumasi aaron. >> thank you, friend. >> i did enjoy that. i'm glad to hear that. that seems like an awesome organization. get that lotion on. look, this lotion that our super friend and fan sent still has not arrived. i don't know what happened. we're looking for this lotion you sent us. >> it's the holiday spirit. >> we have to get in it. this is a mystery we have to solve. >> coming up next, the 7 things you need to know today. abc7 launched a new streaming app so wherever you are you can get our lives newscast, breaking news weather and more. available on apple tv, android

tv, fire

it is 6:57 if you're just joining us, here's the 7 things to know this morning. the uk approved pfizer's covid-19 vaccine. people with high priority can get vaccinated starting next week. now here in the u.s. the fda is expected to review pfizer's vaccine next thursday. san francisco officials could announce new covid restrictions as soon as today. that could include limits on retail, gatherings and a travel quarantine. number three, the cdc is getting ready to announce new guidelines reducing the number of days in quarantine if you're exposed to someone with covid-19. you now need to spend 7 to 10 days in isolation instead of 14. oakland unified submitted a plan to have kids back in class starting january 25th. the district has to get the teachers union on board and alameda county would have to be out of the purple tier. number five, we're off to a much clearer start. a much easier commute due to the lack of fog outside of the usual patchy dense fog in the north bay.

temperatures running from the mid 30s to the mid 40s when you step outside. number six, we're following your wednesday morning commute with a bay bridge backup of 15 minutes. we had an earlier accident west of the metering lights, that has been pushed aside rapidly. a couple of b.a.r.t. delays in the dublin pleasanton line and in the richmond line. number seven, the mcrib is back at mcdonald's. this is the -- >> mm. >> that was me. >> this is the first time since 2012 that the barbecue sandwich has been available in the bay area. mcdonald's says mcrib purchases today will help support mcdonald's charity and the cancer initiatives they have going on. though i think people are just buying this because they like it. >> i made a suggestion. there's some people who still are wary about taking the vaccines that are coming out. the pair the vaccine with the mcrib. we have compliance. >> seems easy enough.

>> why do i have to think of everything? >> we had a knockoff in high good morning, america.gh breaking news. new hope as the pfizer vaccine is approved in the uk, expected to be distributed within the next seven days. details coming out right now. all this as the cdc advisory panel recommends who should get the vaccine first here in the u.s., predicting most states will be able to vaccinate health care workers within weeks. the chief science adviser for "operation warp speed" joins us live. no widespread voting fraud. attorney general william barr says the fbi and doj have found no evidence to support president trump's baseless election claims. the biggest repaiduation yet, as a top republican election official in georgia blasts the president and his supporters over those claims. >> stop inspiring to commit potential acts of violence. someone is